U.S. House to Debate Abstinence-Only Funding

After a year of blows to abstinence-only education – including here in Colorado – the U.S. House plans to debate federal funding for the programs today as part of the Health and Human Services budget. Colorado lawmakers joined Iowa and Washington this year in passing legislation requiring sex education programs to include “science-based” information, which means contraception has to be mentioned. Abstinence-only education is prevalent in some states, but now federal funding is in question.

Opponents received high-caliber ammunition this spring when the most comprehensive study of abstinence education found no sign that it delayed a teenager’s sexual debut. And, after enjoying a fivefold increase in their main federal appropriations, the abstinence programs in June received their first cut in financing from the Senate appropriations committee since 2001.

But the final outcome is in question. Some $176 million in federal support has survived several early maneuvers in the House, and the full House plans to debate the issue July 18 as part of the proposed Health and Human Services budget.

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